The influence of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 on structural design and economics of oil tankers

Scope and method of study. Since the discovery of oil in 1859, the transportation of oil and oil products has always been associated with accidents and groundings of the tanker carriers. During the past 25 years, the United States and other nations have become increasingly concerned about oil spills associated with waterborne transportation of oil. Legislative initiatives aimed at reducing oil spills have evolved slowly in direct response to tanker accidents that took place over the years. For the most part, legislation prior to 1990 had been developed under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization. However, the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) was a major departure from the international effort to address the shortcomings in tanker design and operation. In mandating a requirement to change from single-hull to double-hull designs, the United States acted unilaterally. Section 4115 of OPA90 excludes single-hull tankers of 5000 gross tons or more from U.S. waters after the period 2010–2015. This study reviewed and analyzed the history of oil spills and the effectiveness of oil spill regulations.; Findings and conclusions. An economic analysis which included costs, risks, and benefits of double-hull technology has proved that the increase in capital and operational costs of double-hull tankers is higher than the expected benefits of reducing oil spills if an accident were to occur. OPA90 and Regulations 13F and 13G, which may be viewed as political mandates, have forced the shipbuilding industry to drastically change its standard for the design of oil tankers from single- to double-hull tankers without giving the industry any clear design guidelines or proven standards. It is a prime example of political expediency taking over the economic and technical factors needed for any new design to be successful and economically feasible. As a general rule of thumb, any new design takes from 15 to 20 years to become mature, error-free, and ready to be introduced in the marketplace. The design of double-hull tankers is no exception. Designers and material manufacturers (mainly steel) need the necessary design databases and experience to develop a new design that is not only superior to the existing design but also more affordable. The technology of double-hull tankers has developed neither.